Long-established Southern Healthcare owns four homes across Devon specialising in complex nursing, dementia and residential care. And it’s a double celebration for the independent care provider, which has been rated ‘Overall Outstanding’ by Care Quality Commission (CQC), for not one, but two of their homes. Sefton Hall based in Dawlish and The Old Rectory located in Exeter, were recognised in four domains: effective, responsive, caring and well-led. The coveted accomplishment is shared by only 1% of care homes in the country, thus earning Southern Healthcare the right to be recognised as the elite in their field.

An innovative approach to Dementia and Alzheimer’s care, comes from passion and inspiration resonating in both care homes, focusing on providing person-centred care. CQC recognised the work of the two highly motivated teams in enhancing the quality of living for residents, helping them lead fulfilling and meaningful lives and, believing a person’s life shouldn’t end because they can no longer live independently.

The staff work tirelessly to bring the ‘outside in’ for residents and their families, including converting little used areas of the two homes into traditional-style pubs offering beer and spirits. The Old Rectory created a beer garden/alfresco cocktail bar, complementing the pub. A new ‘Coffee Hub Caf’ converts to a cinema for matinee and evening performances, showcasing classic films, all helping to create the perfect setting to enjoy quality time together. Sefton Hall opened their pub and pool-room, together with an outdoors 1960/70’s inspired ice-cream parlour last year. A ‘memory’ street using the corridors of the secure dementia community, replicates well-known local landmarks; such as Lloyd’s bank, The Co-Op and Dawlish Post Office.

Southern Healthcare’s Operations Manager – Paul Courtney’s vision of person-centred care starts with empathy: “We ask our staff to put themselves in the shoes of one of our residents living with dementia, to think about how it would feel to not know where they are or what they want.” During training, every new staff member sits alone in a room for ten minutes with no entertainment, to demonstrate boredom that can dominate an elderly person’s life in care, if you aren’t constantly working to tackle it. Paul said: “At the end of the training many say it’s the most inspiring they’ve ever participated in.”

www.southernhealthcare.co.uk

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